Step and bearing of mill-spindles



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THEO. S. MINNISS, OF MEADVILLE, PENNSYLVANIA.

STEP AND BEARING F MILL-SPINDLES.

Specification of Letters Patent No. 9,057, dated June 22, 1852.

To all 'whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, THEoDo'RE S. MINNISS, of Meadville, in the county of Crawford and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and Improved Lubricating-Box for Gudgeons of Mill-Spindles and for Axles, &c., of a Variety of Machinery; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, and letters marked thereon, forming a part of this specification.

My invention consists in sustaining and upbearing the gudgeons of shafts for mill spindles and other revolving bodies, upon,

or by the pressure of fluids, in such a manner that the friction is vastly diminished as hereinafter more fully described.

In the accompanying drawing Figure l,

represents a vertical section of my improved lubricating box when applied to the upper bearing or gudgeon of a mill-spindle or other vertical shaft with the shaft represented in dotted lines, and Fig. 2, the same when applied to the lower bearing or gudeon.

g It is applicable to horizontal shafts of over and under shot and breast wheels but as I do not claim any particular form or position of said box, and to apply it to these various uses requires no invention as the principle of action remains the same, I have deemed it unnecessary to describe or represent all these various applications of it, as

any intelligent machinist or millwright will understand how to construct and apply it under all circumstances. Its principle of action is based upon an axiom in philosophy that a hollow body will sustain as much weight when suspended in any liquid as the weight of the liquid its capacity will allow it to contain, that is to say, a hollow body with a capacity for containing 50 lbs. of liquid will support and sustain that amount of weight in that liquid. Thus the size of my box must be proportioned to the weight it is designed to sustain.

It consists mainly of two cases (a) and (b) the case (o) I shall hereinafter designate as lighter which rotates on the lubrieating liquidUL) contained in case (a). If mercury is to be used as a sustaining and lubricating fluid iron will be the best material to construct it of, there being no chemical action between these two `bodies.

In this case it should be of circular form, so that the lighter (b) can revolve quite close to the inner surface of the case in order to require as little mercury as possible, but if water or other less expensive fluids be used it may be made of any desired form. lVhere the location will admit this outer case can be made by sinking a pit in the earth and lining it with cement or other material; this will furnish a cheap and lasting cistern. When it is applied to the upper gudgeon I propose to use the arrangement represented in Fig. l.

(c) is a vertical shaft permanently secured to the bottom and center of case (a) in a vertical position which is long enough to pass through a tube (al) and through both heads of the lighter (Z2), and it is permanently secured to the stationary beam (e). The shaft (c) may be turned away smaller in its center `so as to have short bearings a a, thus lessening friction.

The main shaft of mill spindle or other machinery is terminated in two or more branches and secured to the to-p of the lighter as represented at (f, f), in dotted mes.

When it is applied to the lower gudgeon the shaft rises directly from the top of the lighter and a center pin or pivot (g) is only necessary to keep it in place as represented in Fig. 2. Thus by proportioning the lighter (b) to the weight to be upborne and sustained by the liquid (h) I obviate the ditliculty of rendering it necessary to provide packing and a force pump, as in the hydrostatic lubricator, thus diminishing the friction to a vast extent. It does not signify what the area of the bottom of the lighter or surface in contact with the liquid may be, provided, it and the capacity of said lighter be proportioned to the weight to be sustained and rotated.

Having thus fully described by invention I would observe that I do not claim upbearing or sustaining the gudgeons of shafts, or other revolving bodies by liquids when packing and force pumps are used for giving the desired pressure to sustain the weight of said shaft or other body and to prevent the lubricating liquid from overflowing. But

What I do claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

Lessening the friction of mill spindles and 10 scribed, or in any other manner substan tially the same in principle operation and effect.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto signed my name before two subscribing witnesses.

THEODORE S. MINNISS.

' Witnesses:

' S. S. SMITH,

H. H. YOUNG. 

